In a number of countries, access to information is a right guaranteed by the Constitution. Constitutions often guarantee conflicting rights as well, such as the right to
privacy, so these are sometimes in tension and have to be properly balanced. When it comes to government information, countries typically have Freedom of Information Acts (FOIAs) that regulate in more detail who can request information, who has the legal obligation to provide it, under which circumstances, etc.

For instance in Slovakia, FOIA guarantees access to information to “everyone”: the citizenship or legal age are not a limitation, and neither is personhood. A foreigner, a child, or even a company can request information. However, FOIAs may not always regulate the electronic (digital) availability of data: Read More